


sickness & health

by lafbaeyette



Series: domestic life [2]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Doctor John Laurens, M/M, Sick Character, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 20:31:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9401837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lafbaeyette/pseuds/lafbaeyette
Summary: He cupped Alex’s face, bringing it up to press their lips together in a heated kiss. Too heated. John pulled back a little, frowning. “Shit, you’re hot.”“Mm, yeah, hot for you.” Alex pressed closer, wrapping his arms around John’s waist.“No, you’re hot.” John pushed at his shoulder, moving his other hand to Alex’s forehead. “You have a fever. Baby, stop, stop.” Alex stepped back, frowning, as John felt over his face. He squinted, noticing a mark on his neck, and tilted his head to the side.“Alex, you have pox.”--The One Where Alex Gets Sick





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by my friend, after we watched the episode of Grey's Anatomy where Callie got chickenpox. 
> 
> Just something small and fun in the Domestic Life 'verse. I have another fic planned actually involving Frances as well.

“I don’t have long,” John breathed, letting Alex press him against the wall, mouth roaming over his neck.

Alex hummed, hands moving down his chest, under his scrubs. “God, you’re so hot.”

John laughed, “So are you.” He cupped Alex’s face, bringing it up to press their lips together in a heated kiss. Too heated. John pulled back a little, frowning. “Shit, you’re hot.” 

“Mm, yeah, hot for you.” Alex pressed closer, wrapping his arms around John’s waist.

“No, you’re _hot_.” John pushed at his shoulder, moving his other hand to Alex’s forehead. “You have a fever. Baby, stop, stop.” Alex stepped back, frowning, as John felt over his face. He squinted, noticing a mark on his neck, and tilted his head to the side. “Is this…?”

“What?” Alex moved out his grasp, trying to move closer, but John just took his arm and looked it over. “John, what’s—”

“Alex, you have pox.”

“Are they small?” Alex stopped, looking up at John, who’s brow furrowed.

“I—what? No, I mean, chickenpox—” Alex surged forward again, aiming for John’s mouth but catching his jaw as he turned away. “ _Alex_.”

“What? It’s not smallpox, I’m not gonna die—”

“But you need to lie down.”

“Of course, that’s what this was leading to—”

“ _Alexander_.” John pushed at his shoulders until he finally gave in, taking several steps back. “Come on, go get in bed. I’ll call the hospital; tell them I’m going to be a little late…”

“I have a meeting later,” Alex informed him.

“Not anymore. Give me the number, I’ll let them know.”

“No, I can’t miss it.”

John set him with a glare and Alex backed down, turning and crawling into bed as John pulled his cellphone out. Alex watched John make the first few calls, informing someone in his staff that he was going to be late because of a family emergency, asking Hercules to come over to take care of Alex (Alex let out an indignant sound and John snapped his fingers at him, silencing him). He pulled his knees to his chest, scratching absently at his arm.

“Don’t scratch!”

Alex whined.

 

Hercules was over in record time, carrying a bag full of soups and crackers and juice. Alex had only gotten worse, whining and trying to scratch while John stood in the doorway telling him not to. 

“He can’t scratch or it’ll scar,” John sighed, pushing his hair back as he helped Hercules unpack the bag.

“I know, I had ‘em when I was a kid.”

“Oh, good.” John stood back crossing his arms. “I’m not sure if I did.”

“You’re a doctor and you don’t even know your own medical history?” Hercules laughed.

“Hey, don’t—” John sighed again, heavier, and shook his head. “I’ve got to get back to the hospital. I’m, uh, I’m going to call Laf on the way, have him keep Frances because she hasn’t had them yet.”

“You gonna figure out if you had it?” Hercules went to work on a can of soup, pulling a pot out of the cabinet and turning on the burner like a well-rehearsed dance.

“I—” John a ran a hand through his hair, thought for a second before pulling it back into a bun. “It’s not like I’d have gone to a doctor, there’s no medical history, I’d have to…” John shook his head. “I’d have to call my dad or something, and I’m not doing that. Do you… you could handle this, until he’s not contagious. Right?”

Hercules laughed, a sharp sound, and crossed his arms as he looked at John. “Of course, John. I’ll take care of your sick boyfriend for you.” He turned back to the pot on the stove. “This _should_ be your job, though. In sickness and in health and all that. Plus, you’re a doctor.”

“I have other patients, Herc.” John grabbed his coat and headed for the door. He turned back at the last second, returning to the kitchen, “Thank you for taking care of him. I really appreciate you.” Hercules laughed again. “Don’t let him scratch!”

John returned to the hospital, getting lost in the hustle and bustle and anxiety of the emergency room. He had really only gotten the chance to check his phone once, finding a text from Lafayette assuring him that he had gotten Frances and was keeping her far away from the Infected. It wasn’t until a few hours later that he had a free moment, slipping into an empty hall and checking his phone again for any further updates on Frances or Alex.

 

**FROM: HERC**

**_> sick alex is whiny as hell_ **

**_> you 100% owe me after this_ **

**_> i wanna be reimbursed for the soup & the suffering_ **

 

**TO: HERC**

**_> Got it. _ **

**_> Thank you again Herc_ **

**_> ILY man, you’re #1_ **

****

He was a little surprised to find texts from Alex, though he really shouldn’t have been.

 

**FROM: ALEX**

**_> ivam typing this w my nose_ **

**_> herc has wrappedvup my hands_ **

**_> I am itchy aa hell and kids you_ **

**_> you know whey I mean_ **

**_> why are you still gone_ **

**_> answervme_ **

****

John chuckled, and silently thanked every deity for autocorrect.

 

**TO: ALEX**

**_> im sorry baby busy day in the ER_ **

****

**FROM: ALEX**

**_> when wull u b hpme_ **

****

**TO: ALEX**

**_> I may have to pull an extra shift tonight honey_ **

****

It wasn’t exactly true, but John wasn’t sure how to say ‘I don’t know if I can catch what you have, and I kind of want to avoid catching what you have so I’m going to avoid home until you’re better’, without sounding like an asshole.

 

**FROM: ALEX**

**_> herc says you’re avoiding me bc im sick_ **

**_> he’s also typing for me now_ **

****

“I guess that’s how,” John sighed.

****

**TO: ALEX**

**_> I am not avoiding you_ **

**_> I’m just not sure if i have had chickenpox_ **

**_> and I’m not up for calling my dad to check_ **

****

**FROM: ALEX**

**_> so you’re avoiding me bc im sick_ **

**_> what happened to ‘in sickness and in health’????_ **

****

**TO: ALEX**

**_> was that from alex or from herc? _ **

****

**FROM: ALEX**

**_> both technically_ **

**_> but he’s miserable john are you really gonna avoid him til he’s better? _ **

****

**TO: ALEX**

**_> im not avoiding im working_ **

****

**FROM: ALEX**

**_> so can I tell him you’ll be here tonight? _ **

**_> or do I tell him he’s stuck with me til he’s healthy again? _ **

****

John frowned, glancing at the time. It was getting closer to the end of his shift, he had to come to a decision eventually.

 

**TO: ALEX**

**_> tell him I’m not sure bc I may have to work late_ **

 

John put his phone away, returning to the floor and throwing himself back into the hustle and bustle and anxiety of the emergency room.

 

Alex shifted and shimmied in bed, the friction of his shirt moving over his back just barely relieving the insufferable itching encompassing his body. He groaned, exhausted from the effort, and dramatically dropped his head onto his pillows. “This is horrible. Where’s John?”

“Work.” Hercules sat in a chair in the corner of the room, feet propped up as he flipped through a magazine. “You need anything?”

“You to take these off.” Alex held up his hands, which had been shoved and taped into mittens so he wouldn’t scratch. Something about scarring, but honestly Alex didn’t give a shit about scarring.

“No can do.” Hercules flipped a page.

“What time does John get off?” Alex whined. “I need him.”

“I’m not sure, Alex. He said he may have to work late tonight.”

Alex sighed. “Where’s Frances?”

“Laf picked her up, he’s keeping her at our place so she doesn’t get sick, too.”

Alex groaned. He was silent, turning onto his side, his back to Hercules. There was no sound in the room except for Hercules flipping pages every few minutes and fabric rubbing together as Alex shimmied to try to itch himself. Until, “Will you hold me?”

“What was that?” Hercules put the magazine down, lifting a brow as he looked at Alex.

The other man didn’t move, but repeated himself. “Will you hold me?” Hercules started to laugh and Alex groaned again. “I’m _miserable_ , Herc. I have a fever, I’m uncomfortable in so many different ways, everything itches so badly it _hurts_. The least someone could do is fucking hold me, and since John isn’t coming home until god knows when _that_ service falls to you, Hercules Mulligan. Now, make a miserable man’s life a little better and come fucking cuddle with me.”

Hercules sat his magazine down and climbed into bed behind Alex, wrapping his arm around Alex’s waist. It was different, Hercules was very obviously not John, but his chest was broad and warm and he leaned back into it. Lafayette was right, Hercules was prime cuddling material, and while it didn’t make him any less uncomfortable in his own pox-ridden skin, it was nice. He at least didn’t feel so alone in his misery.

 

John did get home late that night, working an hour past his shift before finally deciding that he did have to go home. He didn’t want to get sick, but Hercules had a point with all of that ‘in sickness and in health’ shit. He spent all day taking care of sick patients, and now he had to go home and take care of his sick boyfriend, his most important patient right under his daughter.

John crept into the house, noting that Hercules wasn’t in the living room or kitchen, and finally found him curled up on the bed with Alex. It was a precious sight that he had to convince himself not to take a picture of, Hercules wrapped around Alex’s back, Alex turned with his face buried into Hercules’ chest. Both fast asleep.

“Herc,” John nudged his shoulder until the other man stirred, blinking up at him. “Hey, you can head home. Or you can stay here if you want, Frances is staying with Laf tonight.”

Hercules unwrapped himself from Alex, clapping John on the shoulder. “He is worse than Lafayette,” Hercules whispered, shaking his head as he crawled off of the bed and left the room. John snorted and removed his shoes and scrubs before taking his place, just as Alex started to wake up.

“John?” Alex smiled, immediately snuggling into him, and they melted together like they belonged that way. Which, John realized, they absolutely did. “Did you call your dad? Are you immune?”

John shrugged, running a hand through Alex’s hair. “I’m not sure, but that doesn’t matter. Boyfriend obligation states that I gotta be here for you, in sickness and in health and all that jazz.”

“Aren’t those marriage vows?” Alex furrowed his brow, tilting his head up at John.

“Yeah, I guess they are.” John pressed a kiss to Alex’s forehead. “I’m just practicing, then.”

“Are you gonna get mad at me if I get you sick?” Alex asked, his voice small and muffled in John’s chest.

“Of course not.” John tightened his arms around Alex, holding him closer.

“Then can you, like,” Alex shifted until they were nose to nose, “kiss me, or something. Distract me from how _fucking_ horrible I feel.”

John chuckled, leaning in and kissing him gently. “Do you want me to get more calamine lotion?”

“God, _please_ ,” Alex groaned, already moving to take his shirt off for optimal lotion application.  

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and Kudos are appreciated. 
> 
> Feel free to come talk to me or send me prompts for the Domestic Life 'verse on Tumblr: @hypeulesnochilligan


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